Cyclist Death
chivalryder
Posts: 4,391 Member
Allow me to paint a picture in your mind: You're driving home after a long day of work. It's getting dark, there is rain falling on your windshield, and the air is filled with a misty fog. You're approaching the final intersection, signal to turn right. You see the blinding lights on on-coming cars, a truck rolls to a stop on the street you are about to turn into, you see no pedestrians on the corsswalk or on the sidewalk behind you... The road is clear, so you turn into the street when suddenly there is a loud crash on the nose of your car, and you hear a scream...
You had just hit a cyclist.
She had appeared like a ghost. She had no lights, no reflactive gear, and she was riding on the sidewalk.
This nearly happened to me. Tonight, in this exact scenario, I entered the street on which my house lies, and as I turned into the street, a cyclist suddenly appeared in front of the truck I had mentioned. She had to take evasive manouvers to avoid me because, by the time I saw her there was nothing I could have done to avoid her. Had she been 3 feet further ahead, I would have hit her.
I'm not saying as a driver, you should be more aware. As cyclists, I am sure we are all alert and good drivers. This cyclist, in the conditions I was driving in, was completely invisible to me until she appeared in the headlights of the truck in front of me.
I'm writing this message to cyclists: Imagine yourself in the shoes of the woman I nearly struck and could have killed. Please, ride with lights and reflectors on your bicycle, and do NOT ride on the sidewalk. Both of these are laws (in Ontario), made for your own protection. The most dangerous place you can be in a bicycle is on the sidewalk. Cars will not necessarily see you and will strike you as you cross an intersection. How many times do you see a car pull right over the cross walk as they prepare to turn right, even around blind corners?
Use lights so cars can see you as well. Through the chaos of lights from all the vehicles, shining in the dark rain, if the cyclist had a bright light, I would have seen her sooner.
The saddest thing about this instance is the cyclist chose to yell at me for nearly hitting her. I can't blame her, she nearly died. However, if I had hit her, then she would have been the one at fault. The laws clearly state this. She is not a pedestrian, she is a vehicle, and vehicles belong on the road. Be alert, be aware, and do your best to be seen.
You had just hit a cyclist.
She had appeared like a ghost. She had no lights, no reflactive gear, and she was riding on the sidewalk.
This nearly happened to me. Tonight, in this exact scenario, I entered the street on which my house lies, and as I turned into the street, a cyclist suddenly appeared in front of the truck I had mentioned. She had to take evasive manouvers to avoid me because, by the time I saw her there was nothing I could have done to avoid her. Had she been 3 feet further ahead, I would have hit her.
I'm not saying as a driver, you should be more aware. As cyclists, I am sure we are all alert and good drivers. This cyclist, in the conditions I was driving in, was completely invisible to me until she appeared in the headlights of the truck in front of me.
I'm writing this message to cyclists: Imagine yourself in the shoes of the woman I nearly struck and could have killed. Please, ride with lights and reflectors on your bicycle, and do NOT ride on the sidewalk. Both of these are laws (in Ontario), made for your own protection. The most dangerous place you can be in a bicycle is on the sidewalk. Cars will not necessarily see you and will strike you as you cross an intersection. How many times do you see a car pull right over the cross walk as they prepare to turn right, even around blind corners?
Use lights so cars can see you as well. Through the chaos of lights from all the vehicles, shining in the dark rain, if the cyclist had a bright light, I would have seen her sooner.
The saddest thing about this instance is the cyclist chose to yell at me for nearly hitting her. I can't blame her, she nearly died. However, if I had hit her, then she would have been the one at fault. The laws clearly state this. She is not a pedestrian, she is a vehicle, and vehicles belong on the road. Be alert, be aware, and do your best to be seen.
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Replies
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I see cyclists as well as runners/walkers in the roads near me wearing dark clothes with no lights or even anything reflective on them and if they get hit you can be sure the lawyers will jump for joy while some poor person heals in a hospital or worse0
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Sadly, this is not that uncommon here either, particularly among "non-cyclist cyclists." By which I mean people who pulled the crusty old mountain bike out of the garage to get somewhere and don't ride frequently or seriously. They are completely unaware of the laws, safety, etc. and it often results in them being erratic, unpredictable, and doing things that put themselves and everyone around them at risk. Not to mention casting a non-flattering light on the rest of us who do try to obey the rules and did nothing to deserve it.
Almost as bad is the fact that I frequently hear drivers who are frustrated with cyclists saying things like "Why are you riding your bike on the road? Roads are for cars. Ride your bike on the sidewalk!" Argh.
Anyway, sorry it happened, glad it wasn't worse for both you and the cyclist.0 -
What really gets me are the "cyclists" who choose to ride against traffic. I cannot understand what is wrong with them, and how they can possibly think that they are safer as a result of what they are doing.0
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Excellent safety contact to bring awareness to the potential for serious injury.0
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Riding "like you are invisible" is usually a good strategy. I say this in light of the number of victims who are good law abiding cyclists who are using lights & reflective clothing (& still get hit). Personally I'd like to see more pro-bike street signage & the roadside mph flashers.0
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